Blu-ray Review – Who Killed Auntie Roo? (1972)

      Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?, 1972.

      Directed by Curtis Harrington.

      Featuring Shelley Winters, Mark Lester, Ralph Richardson, Lionel Jeffries, Michael Gothard, Judy Cornwell, Chloe Franks.

      SYNOPSIS:

      An insane, elderly widow entices two unsuspecting orphaned children into her mansion, presenting a bizarre twist on the classic tale of Hansel and Gretel. The title Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? conjures images of nursery rhymes and childlike wordplay, which is fitting for a film essentially serving as a horror adaptation of Hansel & Gretel.

      However, do not anticipate a gruesome narrative involving monstrous old women abducting children from a candy cottage in a forest. Instead, this film draws inspiration from the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, with the screenplay penned by frequent Hammer collaborator Jimmy Sangster. AIP executives Samuel Z. Arkoff and James H. Nicholson also contributed by hiring Robert Blees and later Gavin Lambert for revisions. Sangster sets his story in the 1920s during Christmas, where wealthy and seemingly benevolent Ruth 'Auntie Roo' Forrest (Shelley Winters) opens her expansive mansion to ten fortunate children from a local orphanage each year to celebrate Christmas, treating them to gifts and a lavish dinner.

      Yet, Auntie Roo is quite mad, keeping her deceased daughter Katherine's mummified remains in a child's bed upstairs and enlisting Mr. Benton (Ralph Richardson) to conduct séances allowing her to communicate with Katherine. Benton, in truth, is a con artist collaborating with Auntie Roo's butler Albie (Michael Gothard) and maid Clarine (Judy Cornwell), who indulge their employer's unstable fantasies to extract money from her.

      This year, Auntie Roo welcomes 12 orphaned children, as spirited newcomers Christopher (Mark Lester) and Katy (Chloe Franks) Coombs secretly join the other ten. Instead of sending them back, Auntie Roo allows them to stay, charmed by Katy's resemblance to Katherine, showering her with gifts and special attention. However, when it's time for the children to leave, Katy mysteriously disappears in the massive house, with Auntie Roo assuring she'll return her once she finds her, claiming that Katy must be hiding. Christopher, sensing Auntie Roo's ill intentions, flees the orphanage to search for his sister, but Auntie Roo's desperation to keep Katy escalates as the children attempt to escape.

      Part of the 'psycho-biddy' wave of horror thrillers from the 1960s and '70s—including films like The Nanny, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, and Dead Ringer, all featuring Bette Davis—Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? highlights Shelley Winters embracing the role of the crazed old woman, expertly hamming it up as if in a pantomime and being genuinely chilling. Auntie Roo is not a conventional witch as Christopher suggests but rather a grieving mother with mental health issues, unable to confront her daughter's death. Viewed through a modern lens, one might feel a hint of sympathy for her plight, contrasting with the more straightforward horror lens of 1972 audiences.

      Unlike the witch in Hansel & Gretel, Auntie Roo's true intentions remain ambiguous; she seems to have no desire to harm the children, although her imprisonment of Christopher when he comes looking for Katy carries a sinister implication as she ominously reassures him they’ll only be held “until New Year”—what follows afterward remains a mystery. Thankfully, we never discover the consequence of that timeline.

      For those familiar with Hansel & Gretel, the film's trajectory is predictable, which is a drawback of Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?, as it holds few surprises. Nonetheless, it boasts a wonderfully deranged lead performance from Shelley Winters, who effortlessly transitions from a caring aunt figure to a crazed madwoman, along with striking set designs featuring a vibrant green and purple color scheme for Auntie Roo’s Christmas decorations, successfully capturing the traditional Victorian Christmas atmosphere that Sangster intended.

      The supporting cast features numerous recognizable faces, all seemingly enjoying their roles, and the overall tone remains surprisingly light despite the grim subject matter. Most of the film's jolts come from Winters' sudden appearances, startling the children with her screams, all while Sangster's dark humor subtly lingers in every scene, with what he left out of the script being potentially the scariest element.

      Released by Hammer under its Hammer Presents… banner, Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? is a fun, lightweight horror thriller that shares a colorful and whimsical aesthetic with Mel Stuart’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory from the prior year, as well as various family-friendly Disney films from the same era. The subtle sinister undertones may not strongly resonate with hardcore horror fans, but the disc includes an audio commentary by film critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and a video essay by Heather Wix